The present invention relates to novel elongate holders for leadered fishing lures of different types, designed to receive and retain such lures neatly and safely during periods of nonuse.
A large variety of leadered fishing lures is available for use in attracting and engaging gamefish of different species and sizes. Most such lures have a monofilament or wire leader which is several feet in length terminating at the tie end with a closed loop for attachment to a fishing line and at the opposite or free end with an attached or integral fish-attracting lure having one or more fish hooks. Generally a sport fisherman will own a plurality of different leadered fishing lures and will have them present in his tackle box when he goes fishing, such as trolling from a boat. Different lures will be selected and secured to the fishing line of a rod and reel assembly, depending upon the species and size of fish which may be present in different areas of the waters being fished.
Because of the length of the leaders and the configuration, sharpness and number of barbed hooks present on the plurality of leadered fishing lures present in a tackle box, such leadered lures can become entangled and can nick each other, causing weakening of the leaders, and also represent a danger to one attempting to segregate the lures due to the sharpness of the barbed hooks and the high possibility of infection of cuts caused thereby.
Frequently fishermen attempt to reduce these problems by enclosing leadered lures within plastic bags or by wrapping them around a cardboard support. However, the problems of leader and hook entanglement, and of injury, remain since the barbed hooks remain exposed for puncture of a plastic bag container and for snagging of and damage to the leaders of adjacent leadered lures and for cutting of hands introduced to the tackle box.